THE RODEO OF THE LLA.NO& 181 



5. Not less than eight or ten thousand head of cattle 

 were brought within the ring formed of more than a 

 hundred horsemen, who, in preventing the escape of the 

 animals, were compelled to expose themselves and their 

 noble steeds to the vindictiveness of the bulls, which were 

 constantly rushing upon the lines in their endeavors to 

 regain the open prairies. Whenever this was attempted, 

 a horseman galloped boldly upon the fugitive, and, by 

 interposing himself between the open field and the bull, 

 forced the latter back to the herd. Wonderfully adroit 

 were the herdsmen in their avoidance of the repeated 

 strokes aimed at them by the bulls, even when it appeared 

 impossible to escape being caught between the animal's 

 horns. 



6. The garroeha played an important part in repelling 

 these attacks. This instrument is made of the slender 

 yet tough stem of the palm, by merely sharpening the 

 top end to a point, or surmounting it with an iron head, 

 around which a number of loose rings of the same metal 

 are affixed ; these, when shaken close to the animal's ear, 

 frighten him off with the rattling-sound they produce. 

 The shaft of the goad is fully ten feet long, and, although 

 not thicker than a walking stick, can bear an immense 

 amount of pressure without breaking. As a weapon of 

 aggression, this slender palm-stem has become justly cele- 

 brated from the fact of having supplied the primitive 

 bands of patriots who first dared to oppose the tyrannical 

 rule of Spain with ready-made lances in the wilderness. 



7. Some hours elapsed before the tremendous excite- 

 ment and confusion of the wild melee described above had 

 sufficiently subsided to render the forms of men and cattle 

 visible through the clouds of dust and ashes raised by the 

 trampling of so many animals. The grass, at this period 

 parched by the sun and reduced to ashes in various places 



